Jammu, Sep 17: Security forces on Thursday neutralised two Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists, both belonging to Pakistan, in a night-long operation amid inclement weather conditions, in the dense forest stretch of Soan-Brattal in Majalta area of Udhampur district .
During the joint operation, involving Army, JKP and CRPF, an alleged Over Ground Worker (OGW), who was believed to have facilitated the terrorists’ movement besides providing logistics and shelter, was also apprehended by the security forces for questioning.
Meanwhile, following the gunfight, the combing operation led to the recovery of a large quantity of arms and ammunition, including AK Assault rifle, M4 Carbine and a Glock pistol with magazines and grenades from the encounter site.
Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in the forests and the areas adjoining the encounter site, however, continued.
Police later identified the slain Jaish terrorists as Saddam and Mustafa, both Pakistani nationals.
According to the Indian Army’s White Knight Corps, in a joint intelligence-based “Operation Sohan (Soan)” during the intervening night of September 16 and 17, 2026, confirmed inputs indicated the presence of terrorists in the general area of Brattal, Udhampur.
“Despite hostile weather, difficult terrain and poor visibility, troops of White Knight Corps, Jammu and Kashmir Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) launched a targetted counter-terrorism operation, resulting in the neutralisation of two terrorists,” the White Knight Corps posted.
It maintained that the operation was still in progress, with search and surveillance operations continuing in the area. “Security forces remain deployed to track and neutralise any remaining threat,” the Army stated, along with its catch-phrase – “The knight stands vigil, the threat will be defeated.”
A separate post of Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP), with a tagline “You can run but you cannot hide!” indicating successful operation, said, “Two neutralised Pakistani Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists have been identified as Saddam and Mustafa. An AK Assault rifle with four magazines; M4 Carbine with three magazines; a Glock pistol with two magazines and four grenades have been recovered from their person.”
Officials stated that the first brief contact with the slain terrorists was established during the intervening night of September 15 and 16 in Majalta area, during CASO launched following reports of suspicious movement.
After a lull spanning almost a day, the security forces, during the continuing cordon, established fresh contact with the hiding terrorists on Wednesday night.
The night witnessed brief exchange of fire yet a full-blown encounter ensued on Thursday morning when the terrorists opened heavy fire at the security forces, in a bid to break the cordon. “However, their attempts proved futile as reinforcements were rushed to the encounter site to further bolster the cordon. Both the terrorists were killed in the targetted joint operation this morning,” officials stated.
Earlier in February also, two Pakistani terrorists were killed in Ramnagar forest of Udhampur district.
“Meanwhile, CASO continues while investigation is also underway to ascertain the exact role of the terror suspect held, following the operation, to unearth the entire terror eco-system active in the area,” officials said.
